Protective caps which prevent insects and other contamination from entering beverage containers while permitting consumption of the beverage contained therein are well known. A grating or similar set of apertures typically permits consumption of the beverage while preventing bees and other insects, lured by the sugar content of the beverage, from entering the container. Such prior art protective caps generally snap over the upper end of a soft drink container such that an opening defined by the grate is positioned directly over the opening in the container. Thus, the user can consume the beverage by drinking the liquid directly from the container through the protective cover.
The problem of insects, particularly bees, entering sugar-sweetened soft drinks and the like is common, particularly when such soft drinks are consumed outdoors. Besides being unappetizing and generally ruining the soft drink, such occurrences can be dangerous in that they may result in a bee sting or other insect bite or sting. In fact, there are cases where a bee sting inside the mouth or throat has caused death.
Caps for sealing carbonation within a soft drink contained within a can are likewise well known. Such caps typically fit directly within the opening of the soft drink container and are provided with a mechanism which permits them to clamp down and thus seal the opening in a gas-tight fashion.
The problem of leakage of carbonation from carbonated soft drinks and the like has long been recognized. This problem is often encountered when a portion of a soft drink is consumed and the remainder is then stored for consumption at a later time. Since the opened beverage can does not provide a gas-tight container, vapor pressure cannot build up within the can to prevent the boiling off of carbonic acid. This loss of carbonic acid from the soft drink results in a corresponding loss of the customary fizz due to lack of carbonation. Since it is desirable to retain the carbonation of an opened soft drink, it would be desirable to provide a means for doing so which also provides the user with the above-mentioned benefits in relation to a protective cap.
Another problem associated with the use of contemporary soft drink containers is spillage. Although a prior art carbonation seal prevents spillage if the container is accidently overturned, the prior art carbonation seal is simply too cumbersome to use during consumption. It would thus only provide spill protection during storage of an unconsumed portion of a beverage, i.e. when the carbonation seal is actually installed upon the container.
While such prior art protective covers do serve adequately to prevent bees and other large insects from entering the beverage container while permitting consumption of the beverage and such prior art carbonation seals do seal carbonation within the beverage, no single device is known which accomplishes both tasks. Additionally, the prior art protective covers are inadequate in preventing smaller insects, e.g., ants, mosquitoes and gnats, from entering the can. Furthermore, the prior art carbonation seals cannot be utilized without removing them from the container. It is desirable to provide a single protective cover which prevents both large and small insects from entering the container, which could be used to seal carbonation within the soft drink, which prevents spills, and which can also be used without removing the cap from the container.